A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 2 by Matthew Flinders

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A Voyage to Terra Australis: Undertaken for the Purpose of Completing the Discovery of that Vast Country, and Prosecuted in the Years 1801, 1802, and ... Collection - Maritime Exploration) (Volume 2)

A Voyage to Terra Australis - Volume 2 Undertaken for the purpose of completing the discovery of that vast country, and prosecuted in the years 1801, ... subsequently in the armed vessel Porpoise and

A Voyage to Terra Australis 2 Volume Set: Undertaken for the Purpose of Completing the Discovery of that Vast Country, and Prosecuted in the Years ... Library Collection - Travel and Exploration)

was no ground at 10 fathoms. From thence I steered up the western arm,passing to the south of a central rock lying a mile out; and got withdifficulty to the projection named _West-water Head_. The arm terminateda little further on; but to the northward, over the land, I saw a longshallow bay at the back of Island Head, and beyond it was the sea. Thiswestern arm being full of sandy shoals, and of no utility, if at allaccessible to ships, I observed the latitude and took angles, and thenreturned to the inner part of Cape Clinton. In rowing to the southward,close along the inside of the cape, we had from 3 to 9 fathoms water; butit was too late in the evening to make an examination of the southernarm, and I therefore ascended a hill near the shore, to inspect it. Thiswas called _East-water Hill_, and I saw from its top, that the southernarm extended S. 16 deg. W. about seven miles, to the foot of the hills behindCape Manifold, where it terminated in shallows and mangroves. Close underEastwater Hill there was a small branch running eastward, nearlyinsulating Cape Clinton; but neither this branch nor the main arm seemedto be deep enough to admit a ship much higher than the cape; and inconsequence, I gave up the further examination, and returned on board atseven o'clock.

Amongst the useful bearings for the survey, taken at Eastwater Hill, werethe following:

By means of this last bearing, the longitude of Port Bowen was connectedwith Keppel Bay and Port Curtis, independently of the time keepers.

A fresh wind from the south-eastward had blown all day, and raised somuch surf on the north side of the port, that our watering there was muchimpeded; a midshipman and party of men remained on shore with casks allnight, and it was not until next evening [MONDAY 23 AUGUST 1802] that theholds were completed and pine logs got on board. The water was very good;it drained down the gully to a little beach between two projecting beadswhich have rocky islets lying off them. The gully is on the west side ofthe northern entrance, and will easily be known, since we sent there onfirst coming to an anchor, in the expectation of finding water, but Mr.Westall's sketch will obviate any difficulty (Atlas, Plate XVIII. View9).

There were pine trees in the watering gully and on the neighbouringhills; but the best, and also the most convenient, were those uponEntrance Island, some of them being fit to make top masts for ships. Thebranches are very brittle; but the carpenter thought the trunks to betough, and superior to the Norway pine, both for spars and planks:turpentine exudes from between the wood and the bark, in considerablequantities.

For a ship wanting to take in water and pine logs, the most convenientplace is under Entrance Island, where we lay in the Investigator; indeedfresh water was not found in any other place; but this anchorage is nottenable against a strong south-east wind. At the entrance of the southernarm, just within Cape Clinton, a ship may lie at all times in perfectsafety; and might either be laid on shore or be hove down, there being 3fathoms close to the rocks, at each end of the beach; it is moreoverprobable, that fresh water might be there found, or be procured bydigging at the foot of the hills. In the southern arm the bottom ismuddy; but it is of sand in other parts of the port.

Of the country round Port Bowen not much can be said in praise; it is ingeneral either sandy or stony, and unfit for cultivation; nevertheless,besides pines, there are trees, principally _eucalyptus_, of moderatesize, and the vallies of Cape Clinton are overspread with a tolerablygood grass. No inhabitants were seen, but in every part where I landed,fires had been made, and the woods of Cape Clinton were then burning; thenatives had also been upon Entrance Island, which implied them to havecanoes, although none were seen. There are kangaroos in the woods; hawks,and the bald-headed mocking bird of Port Jackson are common; and ducks,sea-pies, and gulls frequent the shoals at low water. Fish were moreabundant here than in any port before visited; those taken in the seineat the watering beach were principally mullet, but sharks and flying fishwere numerous.

The _latitude_ of the north-west end of Entrance Island, from anobservation taken by lieutenant Flinders in an artificial horizon, is 22 deg.28' 28" south.

_Longitude_ from twelve sets of lunar distances by the same officer, 150 deg.47' 54"; and by the time keepers, 150 deg. 45' 36"; but from the fifty setswhich fix Broad Sound, and the reduction from thence by survey, the morecorrect situation will be 150 deg. 45' 0" east.

_Dip_ of the south end of the needle, 50 deg. 20'.

_Variation_ from azimuths with the theodolite, 7 deg. 40' east; but on thetop of the island, where my bearings were taken, the variation appearedto be 8 deg. 30' east; and 8 deg. in other parts of the port.

The time of high water, as near as it could be ascertained, was _tenhours after_ the moon's passage over and under the meridian, being halfan hour later than in Keppel Bay; and the tide rises more than nine feet,but how much was not known; it is however to be presumed, from what wasobserved to the south and to the north of Port Bowen, that the springtides do not rise less than fifteen feet.

TUESDAY 24 AUGUST 1802

At daylight of the 24th, we steered out of Port Bowen by the northernpassage, as we had gone in. The wind was from the westward; but so light,that when the ebb tide made from the north-west at ten o'clock, it wasnecessary to drop the kedge anchor for a time. In the evening we came to,in 10 fathoms fine grey sand, one mile and a half from the main; beingsheltered between N. E. by E. and E. by S. by the same cluster of smallisles upon which the pine trees had been first seen. In the morning[WEDNESDAY 25 AUGUST 1802] we worked onward along the coast, against abreeze at north-west, till ten o'clock; when the tide being unfavourable,an anchor was dropped in 15 fathoms, sand and shells, near three islets,of which the middlemost and highest bore S. 29 deg. E., one mile: these werealso a part, and the most northern of Harvey's Isles.

A boat was lowered down, and I landed with the botanical gentlemen on themiddle islet; where we found grass and a few shrubs, and also ants,grasshoppers, and lizards. Upon the rocks were oysters of the small,crumply kind, which seemed to indicate that the sea here is not violentlyagitated; and in the water we saw several large turtle, but were not ableto harpoon any of them. Several of the Northumberland Isles were in sightfrom the top of the islet, and the following observations were taken.

When the tide slacked in the afternoon we stretched over towards IslandHead, and saw a canoe with two Indians, who made for the shore near aplace where the woods were on fire. At dusk we anchored in 18 fathoms,soft mud, in a bight between Island Head and Cape Townshend, at thebottom of which was an opening one mile wide, where captain Cook hadsuspected an entrance into Shoalwater Bay. The Lady Nelson had fallen toleeward, as usual; and not being come up in the morning [THURSDAY 26AUGUST 1802], the master was sent ahead of the ship in a boat, and westeered for the opening with a strong flood tide in our favour. From 22fathoms, the water shoaled to 12, and suddenly to 3, on a rocky bottom,just as we reached the entrance. A kedge anchor was dropped immediately;but seeing that the opening went through, and that the master had deepwater further in, it was weighed again, and we backed and filled thesails, drifting up with the tide so long as it continued to run. At nineo'clock the anchor was let go in 6 fathoms, sand and shells, one milewithin the entrance, the points of which bore N. 34 deg. and S. 89 deg. E.; butthe extent of deep water was barely sufficient for the ship to swing at awhole cable.

[EAST COAST. STRONG-TIDE PASSAGE.]

(Atlas, Plate XI.)

Lieutenant Flinders landed on the north side of the entrance, andobserved the latitude 22 deg. 17' 53', from an artificial horizon; and a boatwas sent to haul the seine upon a beach on the eastern shore, where fishto give half the ship's company a meal was procured. We had no prospectof advancing up the passage until the turn of tide, at three in theafternoon; and I therefore landed with a party of the gentlemen, andascended the highest of the hills on the eastern side. From the top of itwe could see over the land into Port Bowen; and some water was visiblefurther distant at the back of it, which seemed to communicate withShoal-water Bay. Of the passage where the ship was lying, there was anexcellent view; and I saw not only that Cape Townshend was on a distinctisland, but also that it was separated from a piece of land to the west,which captain Cook's chart had left doubtful. Wishing to follow theapparent intention of the discoverer, to do honour to the noble family ofTownshend, I have extended the name of the cape to the larger island, anddistinguish the western piece by the name of _Leicester Island_. Besidesthese, there were many smaller isles scattered in the entrance ofShoal-water Bay; and the southernmost of them, named _Aken's Island_after the master of the ship, lies in a bight of the western shore. Outat sea there were more of the Northumberland Islands, further westwardthan those before seen, the largest being not less distant than fifteenleagues; Pier Head, on the west side of Thirsty Sound, was also visible;and in the opposite direction was the highest of the two peaks behindCape Manifold, the bearing of which connected this station with PortCurtis and Keppel Bay. The view was, indeed, most extensive from thishill; and in compliment to the landscape painter, who made a drawing fromthence of Shoal-water Bay and the islands, I named it Mount Westall.* Thebearings most essential to the connection of the survey, were these;

[* A painting was made of this view, and is now in the Admiralty; but ithas not been engraved for the voyage.]

Mount Westall and the surrounding hills are stony, and of steep ascent;pines grow in the gullies, and some fresh water was found there, standingin holes. The lower hills are covered with grass and trees, as is alsothe low land, though the soil be shallow and sandy; the wood is mostly_eucalyptus_. No natives were seen during our walk, and only onekangaroo.

At dusk in the evening, when we returned on board, I found the LadyNelson at anchor near us, and two boats absent from the ship. In haulingthem up to be hoisted in, the cutter had been upset from the rapidity ofthe tides, which ran above four knots, the man in her was thrown out, andthe boat went adrift. The man was taken up by the Lady Nelson; but theboatswain, who with two men in a small gig had gone after the cutter, wasnot heard of till next morning [FRIDAY 27 AUGUST 1802], when he returnedwithout any intelligence of his object, having been bewildered in thedark by the rapid tides in a strange place, and in danger of losinghimself.

[EAST COAST. SHOAL-WATER BAY.]

On weighing the kedge anchor to go further up the passage, it came upbroken near the crown, having in all probability hooked a rock. The LadyNelson went one mile ahead, a boat was kept sounding close to the ship,and in this manner we drifted up with the flood tide, till half pasteight; when another kedge anchor was dropped in 7 fathoms, a short milefrom the land on each side, and two from the inner end of the opening.Lieutenant Fowler was immediately sent away in the whale boat, to searchfor the lost cutter; and in the mean time we weighed with the afternoon'sflood, to get through the passage. On approaching a low, triangularisland on the eastern shore, the depth diminished quick, and an anchorwas let go; but in swinging to it, the ship caught upon a bank of sandand shells where there was no more than twelve feet water. In half anhour the tide floated her off; and the whale boat having returned, butwithout any information of the cutter, it was kept ahead; and before darkwe anchored in 5 fathoms, at the entrance of Shoalwater Bay.

The opening through which we had come was named _Strong-tide Passage_. Itis six miles long, and from one to two broad; but half the width is takenup by shoals and rocks, which extend out from each shore and sometimeslie near the mid-channel; and the rapid tides scarcely leave to a shipthe choice of her course. The bottom is rocky in the outer entrance, butin the upper part seems more generally to consist of sand and shells. Bythe swinging of the ship, it was high water _ten hours after_ the moon'spassage, and the rise was thirteen feet by the lead; but at the top ofthe springs it is probably two or three feet greater; and the rate atwhich the tides then run, will not be less than five miles an hour. Itwill be perceived, that I do not recommend any ship to enter Shoal-waterBay by this passage.

SATURDAY 28 AUGUST 1802

In the morning, I went in the whale boat to the westward, both to searchfor the lost cutter and to advance the survey. In crossing the inner endof Strong-tide Passage, my soundings were 5, 4, 3, 21/2, 2, 3 fathoms, to arock near the south end of Townshend Island, whence it appeared that thedeepest water was close to the Shoals on the eastern side. Aftersearching along the shore of Townshend Island., and amongst the rockyislets near it, I crossed the western channel over to the south end ofLeicester Island; where a set of bearings was taken, and the latitudeobserved to be 22 deg. 18' 17" from an artificial horizon. This channel isabout one mile wide, and I proceeded up it until a passage out to sea wasclearly distinguishable; but although there be from 4 to 7 fathoms with asoft bottom, the deep part is too narrow for a stranger to pass with aship. I returned on board in the evening, without having discovered anytraces of the lost cutter or seen any thing worthy of particular notice;unless it were three of the large bats, called flying foxes at PortJackson: when on the wing and at a distance, these animals might be takenfor crows.

SUNDAY 29 AUGUST 1802

On the following morning, we got up the anchor and steered further intoShoal-water Bay. The land on the western side appeared to be high; and asthe botanists were likely to find more employment there, during the timeof my proposed expedition to the head of the bay, than they could promisethemselves at any other place, I was desirous of leaving the ship on thatside, in a situation convenient for them. After running three miles tothe westward, mostly in 3 fathoms, we anchored in 6, till four o'clock,and then again weighed. The soundings became very irregular; and at five,seeing a shoal which extended up and down the middle of the bay, wetacked from it and came to, in 5 fathoms soft bottom, it being then lowwater.

The western land was still six or seven miles distant, but there was noprospect of getting nearer, without taking time to make a previousexamination of the shoal; and I therefore embarked early next morning[MONDAY 30 AUGUST 1802] on board the brig, and proceeded towards the headof the Bay.

Steering south-eastward, in a slanting course up the bay from the middleshoal, we had from 5 to 8 fathoms; and passed a shallow opening in theeastern low shore, four miles above Strong-tide Passage. Three mileshigher up there was another opening, near two miles in width; and thewind being then light and foul, I quitted the brig and proceeded threemiles up in my boat, when the arm was found to be divided into twobranches. Pursuing that which led eastward in a line for Port Bowen, andwas three-quarters of a mile wide, I carried a diminishing depth, from 6fathoms to six feet, above two miles further; and the branch thenterminated at the foot of a ridge of hills. I wished much to ascend thisridge, believing that Westwater Head in Port Bowen, lay close at theback; but the shore was so defended by mud flats and interwovenmangroves, that it was impossible to land.

The other branch of the eastern arm led south-eastward, and was a milewide, with a depth of 6 fathoms as far as two miles above the division;it then separated into three, but the entrances were shallow and theborders every where muddy and covered with mangroves. I thereforereturned to the brig which had anchored at the entrance of the branch;and in the night, we dropped out of the eastern arm with the tide, to beready for going up the bay with the morning's flood.

TUESDAY 31 AUGUST 1802

On the 31st, in steering for the middle of the bay, the brig groundedupon a spit which runs out from the south point of entrance to theeastern arm, and I believe extends so far down the bay as to join themiddle shoal near the ship. The bottom was muddy, and the rising tidesoon floated her; but our progress being slow, I went onward in the boatand got into a channel of a mile wide, with regular soundings from 6 to 4fathoms.

Abreast of the eastern arm, the width of the bay had diminished to aboutfour miles; and in advancing upwards, I found it to go on contractinguntil, at four miles above the arm, the shores were less than one mileasunder, and the head of the bay assumed the form of a river, though thewater remained quite salt. The depth here was from 4 to 6 fathoms; andthe east side of the contracted part being a little elevated, I was ableto land and take a set of angles to fix its position. The width and depthcontinued nearly the same two miles higher up, to a woody islet in themiddle of the channel; where the latitude 22 deg. 37' 6" was observed from anartificial horizon, and more bearings taken.

A ship may get up as high as this islet, for the channel is no where lessthan half a mile wide, nor the depth in it under 3 fathoms; but there thestream divides into several branches, which appeared to terminate amongstthe mangroves, similar to the branches of the eastern arm. The largestruns S. S. E; and I could see three or four miles up it, near to the footof the hills behind Cape Manifold, where it probably ends, as did thesouthern arm of Port Bowen.

The islet had been visited by Indians, and several trees upon it werenotched, similar to what is done by the people of Port Jackson when theyascend in pursuit of opossums. Upon the main, to the west of the islet,where I walked a mile inland, fire Places and other signs of inhabitantswere numerous, and still more so were those of the kangaroo; yet neitherthat animal nor an Indian was seen. Around the extinguished fires werescattered the bones of turtle, and the shells of crabs, periwinkles, andoysters of the small kind; and in the low grounds I observed many holes,made apparently by the natives in digging for fern roots. An iguana ofbetween two and three feet long, which lay upon the branch of a high treewatching for its prey, was the sole animal killed; but the mud banks arefrequented at low water by sea pies of both kinds, curlews, and smallcranes.

The soil was stiff, shallow, and often stony; the vegetation consisted oftwo or three species of _eucalyptus_ and the _casuarina_, not thickly setnor large--of several kinds of shrubs, amongst which a small grass-treewas abundant--and of grass, with which the rest of the soil was thinlyoverspread.

After making my observations, I rejoined the Lady Nelson two miles belowthe woody islet; but the wind blowing fresh up the bay, and the brigbeing leewardly, went on and with some difficulty landed on the westside, opposite to the entrance of the eastern arm. This part is stony;but equally low with the rest of the shores, and is probably an island athigh water. A confined set of bearings was taken here; and the sun beingthen nearly down and the brig at anchor, I went on board for the night.Next afternoon [WEDNESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 1802], when the ebb tide enabledthe vessel to make progress against the strong north-west wind, we beatdown in a channel of between one and two miles wide, with soundings from2 to 8 fathoms; but they were not regular, for the depth was less in someparts of the middle than at the sides of the channel. The wind moderatedin the evening; and being then within three miles of the ship, I quittedthe brig, and got on board at sunset.

One object of my research in this expedition had been the lost cutter,and orders had been left with lieutenant Fowler to send again intoStrong-tide Passage upon the same errand, but all was without success.

During my absence, the naturalist and other gentlemen had gone over inthe launch to the west side of the bay, where they had an interview withsixteen natives; their appearance was described as being much inferior tothe inhabitants of Keppel and Hervey's Bays, but they were peaceable, andseemed to be very hungry. They had bark canoes which, though not so wellformed, were better secured at the ends than those of Port Jackson; andin them were spears neatly pointed with pieces of quartz, for strikingturtle. The number of bones lying about their fire places bespoke turtleto be their principal food; and with the addition of shell fish, andperhaps fern roots, it is probably their sole support.

The same muddy flats which rendered landing so difficult in the upperparts of the bay, run off to some distance from the shore under _DoubleMount_; and the land is low for two or three miles back. The hills thenrise, ridge over ridge to a considerable elevation; and at the top areseveral hummocks, of which two, higher than the rest, obtained for thishigh land its present name. So far as the gentlemen were able to ascend,the hills were found to be tolerably well covered with pines and othertrees; and the soil of the vallies was better than in those near MountWestall on the opposite side of the bay.

THURSDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 1802

Early on the 2nd the brig rejoined; and the wind being at S. by E., westeered across towards Pine Mount, passing over the shoal in sixteenfeet. In crossing the middle channel, our soundings increased to 9, andthen diminished to less than 3 fathoms upon a second shoal, the width ofthe channel here being not quite three miles. On the west side of thesecond shoal is another channel, nearly as wide as the former; and thegreatest depth in it, reduced to low water as usual, was 8 fathoms. Thewater shoaled again suddenly on approaching the west side of the bay, andobliged us to veer round off; we then steered to pass within Aken'sIsland, intending to anchor in the West Bight behind it; but the depthnot being sufficient for the ship at low water, we came to in 4 fathoms,muddy bottom, one mile from the shore and two from Aken's Island, theeast end of which bore N. 27 deg. W.

Pine Mount is a single round hill with a high peaked top, standing abouttwo miles inland from the West Bight; and to obtain a set of bearingsfrom it which should cross those from Mount Westall, had induced me toanchor here; but finding my health too much impaired by fatigue toaccomplish a laborious walk, I sent the launch next morning [FRIDAY 3SEPTEMBER 1802] with the scientific gentlemen, and as an easier task,landed upon Aken's Island and took angles from the little eminence at itsnorth-east end.

At every port or bay we entered, more especially after passing CapeCapricorn, my first object on landing was to examine the refuse thrown upby the sea. The French navigator, La Perouse, whose unfortunatesituation, if in existence, was always present to my mind, had beenwrecked, as it was thought, somewhere in the neighbourhood of NewCaledonia; and if so, the remnants of his ships were likely to be broughtupon this coast by the trade winds, and might indicate the situation ofthe reef or island which had proved fatal to him. With such anindication, I was led to believe in the possibility of finding the place;and though the hope of restoring La Perouse or any of his companions totheir country and friends could not, after so many years, be rationallyentertained, yet to gain some certain knowledge of their fate would doaway the pain of suspense; and it might not be too late to retrieve somedocuments of their discoveries.

Upon the south-east side of Aken's Island, there was thrown up a confusedmass of different substances; including a quantity of pumice stone,several kinds of coral, five or six species of shells, skeletons of fishand sea snakes, the fruit of the pandanus, and a piece of cocoa-nut shellwithout bernacles or any thing to indicate that it had been long in thewater; but there were no marks of shipwreck. A seine was hauled upon thesmall beaches at the south end of the island, and brought on shore a goodquantity of mullet, and of a fish resembling a cavally; also a kind ofhorse mackerel, small fish of the herring kind, and once a sword fish ofbetween four and five feet long. The projection of the snout, or sword ofthis animal, a foot and a half in length, was fringed with strong, sharpteeth; and he threw it from side to side in such a furious way, that itwas difficult to manage him even on shore.

A boat was sent in the evening to the foot of Pine Mount, for thenaturalist and his party, but returned without any tidings of them; andit was noon next day [SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 1802] before they got onboard. They had reached the top of the mount, but were disappointed inthe view by the pines and underwood. In returning to the boat, a chaseafter a kangaroo had led one of the gentlemen out of his reckoning; andthis, with the labour of bringing down their prize, had prevented themfrom reaching the water side that night. Pine Mount is stony, but coveredwith large trees of the kind denoted by its epithet; the country betweenit and the water side is grassy, bears timber trees, and is of atolerably good soil, such as might be cultivated. There are small creeksof salt water in the low land; and in one of them a fish was shot whichfurnished the party with a dinner.

Pine Mount is composed of the _greenstone_ of the German mineralogists;but in some other parts of the neighbourhood the stone seems to bedifferent, and contains small veins of quartz, pieces of which are alsoscattered over the surface. At Aken's Island there was some variety. Themost common kind was a slate, containing in some places veins of quartz,in a state nearly approaching to crystallization, and in others somemetallic substance, probably iron. The basis of most other parts of theisland was _greenstone_; but in the eastern cliffs there was a soft,whitish earth; and on the north-west side of the island, a part of theshore consisted of water-worn grains and small lumps of quartz, of coral,pumice stone, and other substances jumbled together, and concreted into asolid mass.

Speaking in general terms of Shoal-water Bay, I do not conceive it tooffer any advantages to ships which may not be had upon almost any otherpart of the coast; except that the tides rise higher, and in the winterseason fish are more plentiful than further to the south. No fresh waterwas found, unless at a distance from the shore, and then only in smallquantities. Pine trees are plentiful; but they grow upon the stony hillsat a distance from the water side, and cannot be procured with any thinglike the facility offered by Port Bowen. The chart contains the bestinformation I am able to give of the channels leading up the bay, and ofthe shoals between them; but it may be added, that no alarm need beexcited by a ship getting aground, for these banks are too soft to doinjury. The shelving flats from the shores are also soft; and with themangroves, which spread themselves from high water at the neaps, up inthe country to the furthest reach of the spring tides, in some places formiles, render landing impossible in the upper parts of the bay, except atsome few spots already noticed.

Were an English settlement to be made in Shoal-water Bay, the better soilround Pine Mount and the less difficulty in landing there, would causethat neighbourhood to be preferred. There is not a sufficient depth atlow water, for ships to go into the West Bight, by the south side ofAken's Island, and the north side was no otherwise sounded than inpassing; but there is little doubt that the depth on the north side isadequate to admit ships, and that some parts of the bight will affordanchorage and good shelter.

The tides do not run strong in Shoal-water Bay, the rate seldom exceedingone knot; but they stir up the soft mud at the bottom., and make thewater thick, as in Keppel Bay. I am not able to speak very accurately ofthe rise in the tide; but it may be reckoned at twelve or fourteen feetat the neaps, and from seventeen to eighteen at the springs. High watertakes place about _ten hours and a half after_ the moon's passage; but onthe east side of the bay, the flood runs up a full hour later.

The _latitude_ of the north-east end of Aken's Island, from anobservation in the artificial horizon, is 22 deg. 21' 35" south.

_Longitude_ from twelve sets of distances of the sun and moon, taken bylieutenant Flinders, and reduced to the same place, 150 deg. 18' 45"; butfrom the survey, and the position afterwards fixed in Broad Sound, it ispreferably 150 deg. 15' 0" east.

_Variation_ from azimuths taken with a theodolite at the same place, 9 deg.48'; but the bearings on the top of the eminence showed it to be 9 deg. 0'.The variation on shore, on the _west_ side of the bay, may therefore betaken at 9 deg. 24' east.

Upon Mount Westall on the east side, and at the south end of LeicesterIsland, it was from the bearings 8 deg. 50'. Upon the small islet at the headof the bay, 9 deg. 25'.

At our anchorage on the west side of the bay, Mr. Flinders took azimuthswhen the ship's head was S. E. by E., which gave 6 deg. 31' by one compass;before he had done, the ship swung to the flood tide with her head W. N.W., and two other compasses then gave 11 deg. 27' and 11 deg. 4': the meancorrected to the meridian, will be 8 deg. 46' east.

At an anchorage towards the east side of the bay, the same officerobserved the variation with two compasses, when the head was east, to be4 deg. 49', or corrected, 7 deg. 21' east.

The difference in Strong-tide Passage, where the land was one mile to thesouth-south-east on one side, and the same to the west on the other, wasstill more remarkable; for when the head was N. E. by N., an amplitudegave me 9 deg. 10', or corrected, 10 deg. 34' east.

There might have been an error in any of the ship observations of half adegree; but I am persuaded that the attraction of the land, sometimes tothe east and sometimes west, as the ship was near one or the other sideof the bay, was the great cause of the difference in the correctedresults; and it will presently be seen, that the effect on a neighbouringpart of the coast was much more considerable.

CHAPTER III.

Departure from Shoal-water Bay, and anchorage in Thirsty Sound.Magnetical observations.Boat excursion to the nearest Northumberland Islands.Remarks on Thirsty Sound.Observations at West Hill, Broad Sound.Anchorage near Upper Head.Expedition to the head of Broad Sound:another round Long Island.Remarks on Broad Sound, and the surrounding country.Advantages for a colony.Astronomical observations, and remarks on the high tides.

[EAST COAST. THIRSTY SOUND.]

SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 1802

At noon September 4, when the botanical gentlemen returned from theirexcursion to Pine Mount, we made sail out of Shoal-water Bay with abreeze from the eastward. In steering north-west amongst the smallislands, the soundings were between 9 and 14 fathoms; and nearly the sameafterwards, in keeping at three or four miles from the coast. I intendedto go into Thirsty Sound; but not reaching it before dark, the anchor wasdropped in 8 fathoms, sandy bottom, when the top of Pier Head bore west,three miles. In the morning [SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 1802] we ran into theSound, and anchored in 6 fathoms, with the points of entrance bearing N.16 deg. and S. 67 deg. E., one mile. The carpenters had for some time beenemployed in making a sliding keel for the Lady Nelson, from the pine logscut in Port Bowen; and being now finished, it was sent on board.

The botanists landed upon the east shore, preferring the main land fortheir pursuits; and the launch was sent to haul the seine on that side,at a beach a little way up the Sound. I went to the top of Pier Head andtook bearings of the Northumberland Islands, as also of the points andhills of the coast to the east and west; the most essential of them tothe connexion of the survey, were as under:

Captain Cook observed, when taking bearings upon the top of Pier Head,"that the needle differed very considerably in its position, even tothirty degrees, in some places more, in others less; and once he found itdiffer from itself no less than two points in the distance of fourteenfeet." (Hawkesworth, III, 126); from whence he concluded there was ironore in the hills. I determined, in consequence, to make more particularobservations, both with the theodolite and dipping needle; and shallbriefly state the results obtained on this, and on the following day.

Azimuths were taken, and the bearing of Mount Westall, distantthirty-four miles, was set at S. 63 deg. 28' E. (true), whilst the theodoliteremained in the same place; and from a comparison between this bearingand those of the same object at different parts of the head, thevariations were deduced. The dip was observed with both ends of theneedle, and the face of the instrument changed each time.

There are here no differences equal to those found by captain Cook; butit is to be observed, that he used a ship's azimuth compass, probably notraised further from the ground than to be placed on a stone, whereas mytheodolite stood upon legs, more than four feet high. The dipping needlewas raised about two feet; and by its greater inclination at the top ofthe hill, shows the principal attraction to have been not far fromthence. The least dip, 50 deg. 28', taken at the shore on the north side ofthe head, was doubtless the least affected; but it appears to have beenhalf a degree too much, for at Port Bowen, twenty-two miles furthersouth, it was no more than 50 deg. 20'. An amplitude taken on board the shipin the Sound by lieutenant Flinders, when the head was S. S. W., gavevariation 8 deg. 39', or corrected to the meridian, 7 deg. 40' east. As Pier Headlay almost exactly in the meridian, from the ship, its magnetism wouldnot alter the direction of the needle; and I therefore consider 7 deg. 40' tobe very nearly the true variation, when unaffected by local causes: inPort Bowen, it varied from 7 deg. 40' to 8 deg. 30' east.

Notwithstanding this very sensible effect upon the needle, bothhorizontally and vertically, I did not find, any more than captain Cook,that a piece of the stone applied to the theodolite drew the needle atall out of its direction; nevertheless I am induced to think, that theattraction was rather dispersed throughout the mass of stone composingPier Head, than that any mine of iron ore exists in it. The stone is aporphyry of a dark, blueish colour.

MONDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 1802

On the 6th, at noon, when the observations were finished and I hadproposed to quit Thirsty Sound, the wind and tide were both against us.To employ the rest of the day usefully, I went over in the whale boat,accompanied by the landscape painter, to the 6th, 7th, and 8thNorthumberland Islands, which, with many low islets and rocks near them,form a cluster three or four leagues to the north-east of the Sound.Orders were left with lieutenant Fowler to get the ship under way asearly as possible on the following morning, and come out to meet us.

Nearly mid-way between Pier Head and the cluster, lie some rockssurrounded with breakers; and until they were passed the depth was from 6to 8 fathoms, and 11 afterwards. We rowed to a beach at the north-westend of the 7th island, proposing there to pass the night, and hoped toturn some turtle; but proofs of natives having lately visited, or beingperhaps then on the island, damped our prospects, and still more did theabsence of turtle tracks; yet under each tree near the shore were theremains of a turtle feast.

TUESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 1802

In the morning I ascended the highest hill on the 7th island, and tookbearings; but the hazy weather which had come on with a strong wind at E.S. E., confined them within a circle of three leagues. This island issomewhat more than a mile in length, and was covered with grass, butalmost destitute of wood; the rock is a greenish, speckled stone, withveins of quartz finely inserted, and is something between granite andporphyry. The 6th island is the largest of this little cluster, being twoand a half miles long; and it was well covered with wood. We rowed overto it with some difficulty on account of the wind, but could not sound inthe channel; it appeared to be deep, its least width three-quarters of amile, and in fine weather a ship might anchor there and procure pines fitfor top masts, at several places in the group. Water was found under thehills on the 6th island; but not in sufficient quantities for the purposeof a ship.

I looked anxiously, but in vain, for lieutenant Fowler to come out ofThirsty Sound; for the wind blew so strong that it was uncertain whetherthe boat could fetch over, or that it was even safe to attempt it; ourprovisions, besides, were nearly exhausted, and nothing more substantialthan oysters could be procured. Pressed by necessity, we set off underclose-reefed sails; and the boat performing admirably, fetched the lowneck to leeward of Pier Head, whence another boat took us to the ship;and at high water in the evening, the whale boat floated over the neckand followed.

When Mr. Fowler had weighed in the morning, according to my directions,the ship had driven so near the shore before the stream anchor was at thebows, that he let go the small bower; but the cable parted, and obligedhim to drop the best bower, being then in 3 fathoms water with the windblowing strong into the sound. By means of a warp to the brig, the bestbower was shifted into 4 fathoms; and when I got on board, the stream andsmall bower anchors had just been recovered. The weather tide made atnine in the evening, and we ran into 7 fathoms in the channel; and atdaylight stood out of the sound, with the brig in company, having then amoderate breeze at south-east.

Of Thirsty Sound as a harbour, very little can be said in praise; thenorth-east and east winds throw in a good deal of sea, and there is notroom for more than three or four ships, without running up into thenarrow part; and what the depth may be there I did not examine, but sawthat there were shoals. The entrance of the sound may be known by tworound hills, one on each side, lying nearly north and south, one mile anda half from each other: the northernmost is Pier Head. The surroundingcountry is clothed with grass and wood; but on the Long-Island side thegrass is coarse, the trees are thinly scattered, and the soil is everywhere too stony for the cultivation of grain.

There were many traces of natives, though none recent. Judging from whatwas seen round the fire places, turtle would seem to be their principalfood; and indeed several turtle were seen in the water, but we had notdexterity enough to take any of them. In fishing with the seine, at asmall beach two miles up the sound, we always had tolerably good success;but no fresh water accessible to boats could be found in theneighbourhood.

The _latitude_ of Pier Head, from an observation made at the top in anartificial horizon, is 22 deg. 6' 53" S.

_Longitude_ from thirteen sets of distances of the sun west of the moon,observed by lieutenant Flinders, 149 deg. 47' 50"; but by the survey and thefixed position in Broad Sound, with which the time-keepers agreed, itwill be more correctly 150 deg. 0' 10" E.

Captain Cook specifies the situation of Thirsty Sound to be in latitude22 deg. 10', longitude 149 deg. 42' (Hawkesworth, III, 128); but in the chartpublished by Mr. Dalrymple, it is 22 deg. 7' and 149 deg. 36', which agreesnearer with the deductions of Mr. Wales (_Astron. Obs._ p. 135). Ineither case it appears, that my longitude was getting more eastward fromcaptain Cook as we advanced further along the coast.

WEDNESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 1802

The tides in Thirsty Sound were neaped at this time, and the rise,judging by the lead line, was from ten to twelve feet; but captain Cooksays, "at spring tides the water does not rise less than sixteen oreighteen feet," which I have no doubt is correct. It ceases at _ten hoursand three quarters after_ the moon passes over and under the meridian.

On quitting Thirsty Sound we steered north-westward, to pass round achain of rocks extending six miles out from Pier Head, and behind whichthere was a bight in Long Island, with some appearance of an opening. Itwas my intention to examine Broad Sound up to the furthest navigablepart, and we hauled up between the north point of Long Island and acluster of small isles lying three miles to the north-west; but findingthe water too shallow, and that it would be more advantageous to beginthe examination on the west side, I desired Mr. Murray to lead round the_North-point Isles_ and across the sound. A small reef lies between fourand five miles N. E. by E. from the largest and easternmost of theseisles; it is covered at half tide, and therefore dangerous, but we had 7to 8 fathoms at less than a mile distance, on the inside.

At noon, the depth was 8 fathoms, the largest North-point Isle, which isnearly separated into two, was distant four miles, and our situation wasas under:

In steering W. by N., rippling water was seen ahead at one o'clock. andthe depth diminishing to 4 fathoms, we hauled a little to the southwardand then resumed our course. This rippling seems to have been on a partof the same shoal near which captain Cook anchored in 3 fathoms; for itlies five miles from the North-point Isles, and as he says, "half waybetween them and three small islands which lie directly without them."

[EAST COAST. BROAD SOUND.]

Our course for the west side of Broad Sound passed close to some low,flat isles, lying to the south-east of the peaked West Hill set from PierHead. At dusk I sought to anchor behind the hill, for it had theappearance of being separated from the main land; but the water being tooshallow, we hauled off upon a wind. At ten o'clock, however, the breezehaving become light and the sea gone down, an anchor was dropped in 5fathoms, sandy bottom; whence the top of West Hill bore N. 68 deg. W. threemiles. A flood tide was found running from the N. N. E., one mile and aquarter per hour.

THURSDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 1802

In the morning I landed with the botanical gentlemen, and wished toascend the top of the hill; but the brush wood was too thick to bepenetrable. Upon a projecting head on the north-east side, I took a part,and about half way up the hill on the south-east side, the remainder of aset of bearings, which included many of the Northumberland Isles notbefore seen, and other of the Flat Isles within Broad Sound. The furthestvisible part of the main land towards Cape Palmerston, was distant aboutfive leagues, and behind it was a hill to which, from its form, I gavethe name of _Mount Funnel_; the shore both to the north and south waslow, and the Flat Isles to the southward of the ship were mostly over-runwith mangroves. I did not go round West Hill, and could not see whetherit were connected with the main land, or not; but if joined, it must beby a very low isthmus. The bearings at this station, most essential tothe connection of the survey, were these:

The stone of the hill had in it specks of quartz or feldtspath, and wasnot much unlike that of Pier Head; but it had a more basaltic appearance.A piece of it applied to the theodolite, drew the needle two degrees outof its direction, and yet the bearings did not show any great differencefrom the true variation; for an amplitude taken on board the ship by Mr.Flinders, when the head was N. N. E, gave 6 deg. 18', or corrected to themeridian, 7 deg. 17' east, and the variation on the eastern side of the hillwas 8 deg. 15', according to the back bearing of Pier Head.

From an observation of the sun's upper and lower limbs in an artificialhorizon, the latitude was 21 deg. 50' 18", and the ship bore from thence S.68 deg. E. two miles and a half; the latitude of the ship should thereforehave been 21 deg. 51' 14"; but a meridian altitude observed to the north bylieutenant Flinders, gave 21 deg. 49' 54"; and I believe that altitudes fromthe sea horizon can never be depended on nearer than to one minute, onaccount of the variability of the horizontal refraction. From this causeit was that, when possible, we commonly observed the latitude on boardthe ship both to the north and south, taking the sun's altitude one wayand his supplement the other, and the mean of the two results wasconsidered to be true; separately, they often differed 1', 2', and even3', and sometimes they agreed. The observation to the north most commonlygave the least south latitude, but not always, nor was there any regularcoincidence between the results and the heights of the barometer orthermometer; though in general, the more hazy the weather, the greaterwere the differences. At this time, the wind was light from the eastwardand weather hazy; the thermometer stood at 72 deg., and barometer at 30.15inches.

At two o'clock we got under way to go up Broad Sound, it being then nearlow water. After steering south-east one mile, the depth rapidlydiminished and we tacked; but the ship was set upon a bank of sand, whereshe hung five minutes and then swung off. I afterwards steered nearer tothe shore, in deeper water; and at dusk the anchor was dropped in 5fathoms, sandy bottom, between the Flat Isles and the main, West Hillbearing N. 35 deg. W. three leagues; the master sounded towards the coast,which was five miles off, and found the deepest water to be on that side.In the morning [FRIDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 1802] the wind had shifted to south,and we beat up in a channel formed by the Flat Isles and the shoalsattached to them, on one side, and the shelving banks from the maincoast, on the other. We had the assistance of a strong flood tide tilleleven o'clock; at which time the anchor was let go, one mile from thenorth end of the 4th Flat Island.

I landed immediately, with the botanists; and at the south-east end ofthe island, which is a little elevated, took bearings and the meridianaltitude of both limbs of the sun from an artificial horizon. Thelatitude deduced was 22 deg. 8' 33"; and the ship bearing N. 19 deg. 30' W., twomiles, it should have been for her, 22 deg. 6' 40"; but lieutenant Flinders'observation to the north gave 22 deg. 5' 19", or 1' 21" less, nearly as onthe preceding day; and it was ascertained that the difference aroseneither from the eye nor the instrument. Amongst the bearings were,

The 4th Flat Isle is about one mile long, and there is a smaller lyingoff its south-east end; they are a little elevated, and bear grass andsmall trees; but the shores are covered with mangroves, and surroundedwith extensive flats of mud and sand. The main coast, from which they lietwo or three miles, is also low, with mangroves and shelving mud banks;but there is a deep channel between, of a mile in width. In the evening,when the flood made, we steered into this channel with a lightsea-breeze; but not having time to clear it before dark, the anchor wasdropped in 4 fathoms at six o'clock.

My attention was attracted this evening by the vast extent of mud leftdry on each side of the channel, and I ordered particular attention to bepaid to the tides during the night. At eleven o'clock, when the flood hadceased running, the depth was sounded and the lead line measured, and thesame at half past five in the morning [SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 1802] whenit was low water; the difference was no less than thirty-two feet, and itwanted a day of being full moon; so that the springs may reach two orthree feet higher. The flood set S. by E., but its greatest rate did notexceed one mile and three quarters an hour.

At daylight the wind was south-east, directly against us. We backed andfilled, drifting up with the flood between the shoals on each side, andhaving the Lady Nelson and a boat ahead; but on approaching the end ofthe channel, our passage into the sound was blocked up by a bank runningacross, upon which there was not water enough for the ship by a fathom,and we therefore anchored. At nine the tide had risen a fathom. and wepassed over into the open sound; the depth immediately increasing to 4and 7 fathoms, reduced to low water. So long as the flood continuedrunning we worked up the sound; and when it ceased, anchored three milesfrom a shallow opening in the low western shore, the second which hadbeen observed. We again proceeded upwards with the evening's tide untildusk; and at nine next morning [SUNDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 1802] passed a fifthopening, and anchored abreast of the hilly projection on its east side,which I have named _Upper Head_, in 4 fathoms, soft bottom, two-thirds ofa mile from the shore. This was the first place on the main where therewas any prospect of being able to land; for the western shore, thus farup, was equally low, and as much over-run with mangroves and defended bymuddy flats, as the shores of Keppel Bay.

It being my intention to explore the head of Broad Sound with the brigand whale boat, a situation where tents could be fixed and an easycommunication held with the ship during my absence, was the object nowsought; and I immediately went with a party of the gentlemen, toascertain how far Upper Head was calculated for our purpose. We landed athalf flood, without difficulty; and on ascending the hill, obtained aview of the Sound which exceeded my expectations. Amongst the manybearings taken, were the following fixed points in the survey.

The breadth of the Sound, from Upper Head over to the inner end of LongIsland, appeared to be three leagues, but it contracted upwards, andassumed the same river-like form as Shoalwater Bay; and it was to befeared, from the mangrove shores and muddiness of the water, that itwould terminate in the same manner. No shoals could be thendistinguished; but towards low water in the evening I again ascended thehill, and saw to my regret, that the upper parts were mostly occupiedwith banks of mud and sand, many of which were dry, and extended downwardpast the inner entrance of Thirsty Sound. Amongst the banks were variouschannels; but that of about two miles wide where the ship lay, was by farthe most considerable. The small fifth opening, close on the west side ofUpper Head, ran some miles in the low land towards the foot of a ridge ofhills, lying three or four leagues at the back of the shore; but thegreater part of this inlet was also taken up by mud banks, and theborders covered with mangroves. There was no fresh water at Upper Head,nor did I see any prospect of obtaining wherewith to complete the holdsof the two vessels before leaving the coast; unless it were at a place alittle higher up on the same side, to which the appearance of anotheropening between two hills, induced me to move the ship.

MONDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 1802

Next morning, when the flood made, we drifted upwards, with the LadyNelson and a boat sounding ahead. After advancing three miles the brigsuddenly took the ground, and we dropped a stream anchor; but in swingingto it, the ship was caught upon a bank of quick sand in eleven feet; andthe tide running strong upon the broad side, it made her heel in a mannerto excite alarm. The sails were immediately clewed down, and thetop-gallant yards struck; and it appearing that the stream anchor allowedthe ship to drive further up the bank as the tide rose, the best bowerwas let go, and then she righted and swung to the tide. The Lady Nelsonalso got off safe; but a part of the after sliding keel was carried away.

I went in a boat to examine the place which had presented the appearanceof an opening; but it proved to be only a bending in the shore, and themud banks and mangroves did not admit of landing; we therefore went backwith the returning ebb to Upper Head, and moored the ship nearly in ourfirst situation; where there was something more than 3 fathoms all round,at low water.

TUESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 1802

On the following morning, the time keepers and other instruments weresent on shore under the charge of lieutenant Flinders, with two of theyoung gentlemen to assist him, and a guard of marines for the protectionof the tents. It had appeared from the survey, that the time keepers werelosing more than the Port-Jackson rates supposed; and before quittingthis coast for the Gulph of Carpentaria, it was necessary to take freshobservations. Mr. Flinders undertook as usual to perform this service,whilst I should be absent up the Sound; and lieutenant Fowler wasdirected to examine and air all the stores, and make the ship ready forsea against my return.

Having made these dispositions, I embarked in the Lady Nelson with thenaturalist, taking my whale boat and surveying instruments. We had astrong flood tide; and after grounding on a bank, anchored eleven milesabove the ship, in 3 fathoms, that being the greatest depth to be found.It was then high water; and the brig being expected to be left dry by theebb, we prepared for it by mooring, to prevent all chance of settling onthe anchor, and hove up the fore and after keels; the new main keel beingswelled by the wet, could not be raised, and when it took the ground, thevessel turned about violently and dragged both the anchors, until thekeel broke off, and then she lay easy.

At low water, the seamen went out upon the dry flat and found the bestbower cable parted, and the anchor so far buried in the quicksand, thatit could not be raised. At ten o'clock the flood tide came rolling in,and presently set the brig afloat; the anchor was then weighed with ease,by means of a hawser previously bent to it, and the vessel rode by thesmall bower, against a tide which ran at the strongest between four andfive knots.

WEDNESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 1802

The Lady Nelson again took the ground at six in the morning. On soundingover to the east shore, distant half a mile, I found a small channelleading upwards, with four or five feet more water in it than where thebrig lay; the western shore was two miles distant over a silty flat,which was dry at low water and level as a race ground.

At eleven, the flood came in, six or eight inches perpendicular, with aroaring noise; and so soon as it had passed the brig, I set off with Mr.Brown and Mr. Lacy in the whale boat, to follow it up the small channelon the eastern shore; and having a fair wind we outran the tide and weresometimes obliged to wait its rising before we could proceed. At the endof six miles the small channel led across to the western side; and therare opportunity of a landing place induced me to pitch our tent therefor the night: two miles higher up, the whole breadth of the Sound wasreduced to half a mile.

The country here was a stiff, clayey flat, covered with grass, and seemedto have been overflowed at spring tides; though the high water of thisday did not reach it by five feet. Three or four miles to the southwardthere were some hills, whence I hoped to see the course of the stream upto its termination; and having time before dark, we set off. The grass ofthe plain was interspersed with a species of sensitive plant, whoseleaves curled up in, and about our footsteps in such a manner, that theway we had come was for some time distinguishable. From the nearest ofthe small hills, I set the bearings of Double and Pine Mounts, our tent,and the brig at anchor, by which this station was fixed as in the chart;but in order to reconcile the bearings, I found it necessary to allow 12 deg.of east variation.

Towards Double Mount and Shoal-water Bay, the country consisted ofgently-rising hills and extensive plains, well covered with wood andapparently fertile. The stream at the head of Broad Sound could not betraced from hence more than three or four miles above the tent; but itmay possibly run up much further to the south-eastward, though too smallto be distinguished in the wood, or to be navigable for boats. To thesouth and westward there was a ridge of high land, which appeared to be aprolongation of the same whence the upper branches of Port Bowen andShoal-water Bay take their rise, and by which the low land and small armson the west side of Broad Sound are bounded. A similar ridge ran behindPort Curtis and Keppel Bay, and it is not improbable that the two areconnected, and of the same substance; for at Port Curtis the basis stoneof the country was a granite, and this small hill was the same. It hasbeen more than once observed, that granite is amongst the substanceswhich exert an influence upon the magnetic needle; and it is to theattraction of the ridge of mountains to the south and westward, that Iattribute the great variation found in the bearings at this station.

We returned to the tent at sunset; and there passed a disagreeable nightamongst musketoes, sand flies, and ants. At four in the morning [THURSDAY16 SEPTEMBER 1802] the ebb had made, and we embarked in the boat; but thedepth of water was so little that we could not proceed, and were obligedto re-land and wait for the following tide; not without apprehension ofbeing left till the next springs came on. At two in the afternoon theflood came up rapidly, and in half an hour it was high water; we set offimmediately, and after some trouble from the shoals, reached the brig atfive o'clock. Mr. Murray got under way at three the next morning [FRIDAY17 SEPTEMBER 1802] to beat down to Upper Head, the wind being from thenorthward; but the Lady Nelson getting aground, I went off with Mr. Brownin my boat, and reached the ship at seven o'clock, and in the evening,the brig arrived.

Lieutenant Fowler had gone through the most essential duties, and theship was nearly ready for sea; but on landing at the tents I found thatthe time keepers had been let down, and the business of finding new ratesfor them was to be recommenced. This accident would require a week to berepaired; and being unwilling to remain so long inactive, I determined toleave Mr. Flinders at Upper Head, and take the ship over to the inner endof Thirsty Sound, where it appeared there was something to correct incaptain Cook's chart.

SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 1802

The Lady Nelson had lost two sheets of copper, and the trunks of thesliding keels required some reparation; I therefore desired lieutenantMurray to lay his vessel on shore and get these matters arranged, to cutwood for himself, and be ready to sail in a week for Torres' Strait; andhis stock of water was completed out of the Investigator.

SUNDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 1802

On the 19th in the morning we unmoored the ship, and a little before lowtide stretched over towards Thirsty Sound; but the numerous shoals to beencountered, and which cannot be concisely described otherwise than in achart, caused much delay; and it was near noon of the day following[MONDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 1802] before we anchored at the south end of LongIsland, in 3 fathoms, and about one mile from the low mangrove shore. Atthe south end of the island was a small hill, bearing S. 55 deg. E. one mileand a half from the ship, where I landed with a party of the gentlemen;it forms the west point of the inner entrance to Thirsty Sound, as somelow red cliffs, one mile and a half distant, do the east point; but ashoal, dry at low water, lies in the middle, and the channels on eachside are not calculated for a ship. The small hill was found to be on adetached islet one mile long, the greater part of which is mud coveredwith mangroves; the hill is partly excavated by an arched way runningthrough it, and the stone is of a mixed red and white colour, and of anochry consistence. From the highest top, I set:

These bearings place the inner end of Thirsty Sound in latitude 22 deg. 16';and curtail the distance of thirty miles from Pier Head in captain Cook'schart, to twelve miles and a half.

TUESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 1802

On the 21st, the botanical gentlemen went over in the launch to the eastside of Thirsty Sound, the main land having been always found moreproductive in the objects of their pursuit, than any island howeverlarge. I went to examine along the west side of Long Island; but had notproceeded two miles before an opening presented itself amongst themangroves. It led to the eastward, and then separated into two branches;and in following that which trended north-east I came into Thirsty Sound,and landed five miles above the inner entrance, at an islet inmid-channel, which had been set from Pier Head and is laid down bycaptain Cook.

No less than five different pieces of land were found to be cut off fromthe south end of Long Island, by winding channels amongst the mangroves;and I now saw the prospect of a passage through the middle, leading outat the bight between the north point and Pier Head. A woody and ratherelevated islet obscures the inner end of the opening, and seems to haveprevented captain Cook's observing this separation when going up ThirstySound in his boat. I found in it a good bottom, with 3 to 5 fathomswater, and room for a ship to swing, or sail through as far as the outeropening to sea; but another island lies in the outlet, the bottom isrocky, and the regular depth at low water is not so much as 3 fathoms oneither side.

Having taken a second set of angles, and passed out by the new opening, Isteered northward along the east side of Long Island; but although theland be high and rather steep, there was seldom so much as 3 fathoms at amile distance. I landed at the north end of the island, to ascertainbetter the forms and positions of the North-point Isles; and then,steering southward along the west side, entered a cove where the form ofthe surrounding land gave a hope of finding fresh water for the ship; butthe borders were covered with mangroves, and we could not getsufficiently far up to know whether any part of the stream runningthrough them were fresh. Another set of angles was taken from a hill onthe south side of the cove; and the sun being then set, our tent waspitched for the night.

WEDNESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 1802

Next morning I steered onward along the west side of Long Island, landingoccasionally to examine the gullies made by the rains; but at this timethey were all dry. As far to the south as Westside Islet, the shore istolerably high and the water deep; and near to the inner end of theislet, where I landed to take angles, there was no bottom with 10fathoms; but the shore from thence to the ship was low and covered withmangroves, and even the rocky points cannot be approached within half amile, except by boats.

Not a single Indian was seen during this excursion round Long Island; norfrom the length of the grass and appearance of their fire places, do Ithink they had been there for some months.

THURSDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 1802

Next day I made a further examination of the winding channels at thesouth end of Long Island; and also went to an inlet on the east side ofBroad Sound, the entrance of which is so much obstructed by shoals, thatit was difficult to find a sufficient depth, even for the boat. I landedwith the naturalist at a low, cliffy head on the north side of theentrance; but not without wading a quarter of a mile in the mud. We sawfrom thence, that this inlet, though presenting the appearance of arespectable river when the tide was in, had no perceptible breadth atfive miles within the land, that it was almost wholly dry at low water,and that the shores were covered with mangroves to a great extent; eventhe cliffy head where we stood, was surrounded with mangroves, andappeared to be insulated at spring tides.

FRIDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 1802

In the morning of the 24th, we got under way to return to Upper Head; andhaving the same difficulties to encounter amongst the shoals as before,did not reach our former anchorage until next day [SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER1802]. On landing at the tents, I found, to my no less surprise thanregret, that the time keepers had again been let down; and no more thanone day's rates had been since obtained. Twenty-five sets of distances ofthe sun and moon had been taken to correspond with an equal number on theopposite side; and it appeared that lieutenant Flinders being intent uponthese, had forgotten to wind up the time keepers on the 22nd at noon.

This fresh difficulty was very embarrassing. To go away for Torres'Strait and the Gulph of Carpentaria without good rates, was to cripplethe accuracy of all our longitudes; and on the other hand, the expectedapproach of the contrary monsoon on the North Coast admitted of no longerdelay in Broad Sound. On comparing the last day's rates with those of thefour days previously obtained, the letting down did not appear to haveproduced any material alteration; and I therefore determined to combinethe whole together, and to sail immediately.

SUNDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 1802

The following day was occupied in completing the holds with wood, takingon board our shore establishment, and preparing for sea; and next morning[MONDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 1802] we steered down Broad Sound, with the LadyNelson in company, keeping near the western side to avoid the middleshoals. On a sea breeze coming in at north, we tacked towards theNorth-point Isles; and at sunset, the flood tide having then made,anchored in 8 fathoms, upon a bottom of sand and rock, thenorth-westernmost isle bearing N. 6 deg. E., two leagues. In the morning wepassed round the North-point Isles, with a breeze from the south-east;and thus quitted Broad Sound, steering off for the outermost and largestof the Northumberland Islands.

There remains little to be said upon the navigation of Broad Sound, morethan what has been related of our courses in it, and what will be foundin the chart. The western channel, between the Flat Isles and the main,is not to be recommended; but after steering up the middle of the Soundand passing these isles, the western shore should be kept nearest a-bord.A ship may then reach Upper Head without difficulty, and lie there inperfect safety from all winds, at two-thirds of a mile off; but cannot gohigher up the sound without risk of grounding on the banks. From halfflood to half ebb, landing is easy at Upper Head, and it is perhaps thesole place on the main possessing that advantage; every where else theshore is very low, fronted with mud banks, and covered, in some placesmiles deep, with interwoven mangroves, amongst which the tide flows athigh water.

The stone of Upper Head, and apparently of all the hills in itsneighbourhood, is granitic; whilst that of Long Island and West Hillapproach nearer to porphyry. At the inner entrance of Thirsty Sound thepoints are mostly composed of an earth, which is not heavy, is sometimesred, but more frequently white, or mixed; and of a consistence not harderthan ochre.

Long Island, though covered with grass and wood, is stony and incapableof ordinary cultivation. On the main land, the low parts between themangroves and the hills seemed to be of a tolerably good soil; andaccording to the report of some of the gentlemen, who made an excursionat the back of Upper Head, the vallies there produce good grass andappeared fertile. There seems, indeed, to be a considerable extent ofland about Broad Sound and on the peninsula between it and Shoal-waterBay, which, if not calculated to give a rich return to the cultivator ofwheat, would support much cattle, and produce maize, sugar, and tobacco;and cotton and coffee would grow upon the more rocky sides of the hills,and probably even upon Long Island. Should it ever be in contemplation tomake an establishment in New South Wales within the tropic, in aid ofPort Jackson and the colonies to the southward, this neighbourhood wouldprobably be chosen; and the great rise of tide presents advantages whichmight be some time turned to account in ship building. On the west sideof the sound, near the Flat Isles, the rise at spring tides is not lessthan thirty, and perhaps reaches to thirty-five feet. At Upper Head it isfrom twenty at the neaps, to thirty or more at the springs; but thebottom rises so much towards the top of the sound, that the tide therenever seems to exceed twelve feet. The time of high water is nearly_eleven hours after_ the moon's passage over and under the meridian;though the flood runs up near an hour on the west side of the sound,after it is high water by the shore.

The places best calculated for the construction of docks, appear to be atthe uppermost or 4th Flat Isles, where the shoals form a natural harbour,and at the entrance of the opening near Upper Head, in which is a smallislet of sand and rock, not covered with mangroves nor surrounded withmud flats. The pines of Port Bowen, Shoal-water Bay, and theNorthumberland Isles, would furnish the necessary spars and lighterplanking; and there is no reason to think that the _eucalyptus_, whichgrows all over the country, should not be as fit for timbers, etc., as itis found to be further southward. No iron ore was seen in theneighbourhood; but were a colony established and the back ridge ofmountains well examined, this and other metallic productions might befound. The attraction which the mountains seemed to have upon the needle,is in favour of this probability; but the iron work might be prepared atPort Jackson where the ore exists, and in whose vicinity there are plentyof coals.

Fresh water was scarce at this time, none being any where discovered nearthe sea side, except a small rill at the back of Upper Head, little morethan adequate to the supply of the tents; it can however be scarcelydoubted, that fresh water for domestic purposes would be found in mostparts of the country; and there is a season of the year, most probablythe height of summer, when rain falls abundantly, as was demonstrated bythe torrent-worn marks down the sides of the hills.

Not a single native was seen, either on the shores of Thirsty, or BroadSounds, during the whole time of our stay.

There are kangaroos in the woods, but not in numbers. The shoals all overthe sound are frequented by flocks of ducks and curlews; and we saw inthe upper part, some pelicans, an individual of a large kind of crane,and another of a white bird, in form resembling a curlew. Many turtlewere seen in the water about Long Island, and from the bones scatteredaround the deserted fire places, this animal seemed to form the principalsubsistence of the natives; but we had not the address to obtain any.Hump-backed whales frequent the entrance of the sound, and would presentan object of interest to a colony. In fishing, we had little success withhook and line; and the nature of the shores did not admit of hauling theseine.

The climate here, being one degree within the tropic, was warm at thisseason, which may be considered as the spring and the driest time of theyear. On board the ship, the height of the thermometer did not exceed76 deg., with the warm winds from the northward, but at the tents it averagedat noon somewhat above 90 deg.; and the musketoes and sand flies were verytroublesome at all places near the mangroves. We did not see any snakesor other venemous reptiles or insects.

The _latitude_ of Upper Head, from six meridian observations in theartificial horizon, is 22 deg. 23' 24" S.

_Longitude_ from fifty sets of distances of the sun and moon, given inTable II of the second Appendix to this Volume, 149 deg. 46' 53" E.

The errors of the time keepers from mean Greenwich time, at noon thereSept. 26, and their mean rates of going during seven days, of which fourwere before and three after they had been let down the second time, wereas under:

These errors and rates were found by lieutenant Flinders, from equalaltitudes taken with a sextant on a stand, and using an artificialhorizon of quicksilver.

The longitudes given by the time keepers on Sept. 12 a.m. at Upper Head,with the Port-Jackson rates, were these:

No. 543, 149 deg. 54' 27" east.No. 520, 149 deg. 53' 47.5" east.

The mean is 7' 14" to the east of the lunars; but on using rates equallyaccelerated from those at Port Jackson to the above at Upper Head, andcommencing the acceleration on Aug. 15, at Keppel Bay, where the timekeepers were found to be keeping their former rates, the mean longitudewill be 149 deg. 48' 56.6", or 2' 3.6" from the lunar observations; which istherefore the presumable sum of their irregularities after August 15, orin 27.7 days.

In fixing the positions of places along the East Coast, I have made useof the time keepers from Port Jackson to Port Curtis, without anycorrection. From Port Curtis to Broad Sound, the coast and islands arelaid down from theodolite bearings taken on shore, combined with theobserved latitudes; and consequently the accuracy in longitude of thefirst portion depends upon that of Port Jackson and the time keepers, andof the last, upon Upper Head and the survey. These two unconnectedlongitudes meet at Port Curtis, and the difference between them is thereno more than 5".

From observations with the theodolite upon the top of Upper Head, the_variation_ was 8 deg. 37' east; but on moving the instrument ten yards tothe south-west, it was 45' less. At two other stations on the west sideof the sound, it was 8 deg. 15', and 8 deg. 0'; and on board the ship 7 deg. 17' and7 deg. 46', corrected. On the east side of the sound it differed at sixstations on shore, from 8 deg. to 6 deg.; and on board the ship was 6 deg. 44'corrected. As general results, therefore, but subject to many smalldeviations, the variation may be taken,

On the west side of Broad Sound at 8 deg. 0' E.On the east side 7 0At the head of the sound it was,at one station 12 deg., at another 10 deg.;the mean, 11 0

The differences between the two sides of the sound, both on shore and onboard, are nearly similar to what took place in Shoal-water Bay.

The rise of _tide_ and time of high water have been mentioned; but it maybe proper to say what I conceive to be the cause of the extraordinaryrise in Broad Sound. From Cape Howe, at the southern extremity of theEast Coast, to Port Curtis at the edge of the tropic, the time of highwater falls between seven and nine hours after the moon's passage, andthe rise does not exceed nine feet; but from thence to the northward,commencing with Keppel Bay, the time becomes later, and the riseaugments, till, at Broad Sound, they reach eleven hours, and betweenthirty and thirty-five feet. The principal flood tide upon the coast issupposed to come from the south-east, and the ebb from the north, ornorth-west; but from the particular formation of Keppel and Shoal-waterBays, and of Broad Sound, whose entrances face the north, or north-west,this ebb tide sets into them, and accumulates the water for some time,becoming to them a flood. This will, in some degree, account for thelater time and greater rise of the tide; and is conformable to whatcaptain Cook says upon the same subject (Hawkesworth, III. 244); but Ithink there is still a super-adding cause. At the distance of aboutthirty leagues to the N. N. W. from Break-sea Spit, commences a vast massof reefs, which lie from twenty to thirty leagues from the coast, andextend past Broad Sound. These reefs, being mostly dry at low water, willimpede the free access of the tide; and the greater proportion of it willcome in between Break-sea Spit and the reefs, and be late in reaching theremoter parts; and if we suppose the reefs to terminate to the north, ornorth-west of the Sound, or that a large opening in them there exist,another flood tide will come from the northward, and meet the former; andthe accumulation of water from this meeting, will cause an extraordinaryrise in Broad Sound and the neighbouring bays, in the same manner as themeeting of the tides in the English and Irish Channels causes a greatrise upon the north coast of France and the west coast of England.

That an opening exists in the reefs will hereafter appear; and captainCook's observations prove, that for more than a degree to the north-westof Broad Sound, the flood came from the northward. I found, when atanchor off Keppel Bay, and again off Island Head, that the flood therecame from the east or south-east; but when lying three miles out fromPier Head, there was no set whatever; and I am disposed to think that itis at the entrance of Broad Sound, where the two floods meet each other.

CHAPTER IV.

The Percy Isles: anchorage at No. 2.Boat excursions.Remarks on the Percy Isles; with nautical observations.Coral reefs: courses amongst them during eleven days search for a passage through, to sea.Description of a reef.Anchorage at an eastern Cumberland Isle.The Lady Nelson sent back to Port Jackson.Continuation of coral reefs;and courses amongst them during three other days.Cape Gloucester.An opening discovered, and the reefs quitted.General remarks on the Great Barrier;with some instruction relative to the opening.

[EAST COAST. PERCY ISLES.]

TUESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 1802

On quitting Broad Sound, we steered for the north-easternmost of theNorthumberland Islands., which I intended to visit in the way to Torres'Strait. These are no otherwise marked by captain Cook, than as a singlepiece of land seen indistinctly, of three leagues in extent; but I hadalready descried from Mount Westall and Pier Head a cluster of islands,forming a distinct portion of this archipelago; and in honour of thenoble house to which Northumberland gives the title of duke, I named them_Percy Isles_.

(Atlas, Plate XI.)

At noon, the observed latitude on both sides was 21 deg. 51' 20"; the westend of the largest North-point Isle bore S. 18 deg. W. three or four leagues,and the Percy Isles were coming in sight ahead. The weather was hazy; andthe wind at E. S. E. preventing us from fetching No. 2, the largest isle,we tacked at five o'clock, when it bore S. 31 deg. to 54 deg. E, two or threeleagues; No. 5, the north-westernmost of the cluster, bearing N. 24 deg. W.,two miles and a half. At dusk the anchor was dropped in 14 fathoms, sandyground, two or three miles from some rocky islets which lie off the westside of No. 2. The flood tide at this anchorage came from the north-east,one mile per hour.

We got under way again in the morning [WEDNESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 1802]; butthe wind being light and unfavourable, and the tide adverse, I went offin the whale boat, accompanied by Messrs. Brown and Westall, to examinethe passage between the rocky islets and No. 2, directing lieutenantFowler to follow with the ship when the signal should be made. We firstlanded at the islets, where the same kind of pine as seen at Port Bowenand other places, was abundant; and leaving the two gentlemen there, Isounded the passage, which was a mile and a half wide, with a sandybottom of 8 to 13 fathoms deep, and sheltered from all eastern winds. Thesignal was then made to the ship; and so soon as she was brought toanchor, I went to examine a little cove, or basin, into which the heightof the surrounding hills gave expectation of finding a run of freshwater. The entrance is little more than wide enough for the oars of arowing boat, the basin, within side, is mostly dry at low water, and theborders are over-run with the tiresome mangrove; but when the tide is in,it is one of the prettiest little places imaginable. In searching roundthe skirts, between the mangroves and feet of the hills, a torrent-worngully was found with several holes of water; and one in particular, nearthe edge of the mangroves, where, by cutting a rolling way for the casks,the holds of the two vessels might be filled; and at a beach without sideof the entrance to the basin, several hauls of the seine were made withgood success.

THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 1802

Early next morning, lieutenant Fowler landed with a party of men preparedto cut through the mangroves; but fresh water was discovered to ooze outfrom amongst them, much below high-water mark; and by digging in the sandat half ebb, our casks might be filled more easily, and with better waterthan in the gully. Whilst this duty was going on, the carpenters weresent to cut fire wood and pine logs upon the rocky islets, the botanicalgentlemen followed their pursuits where it best pleased them, and my timewas occupied in surveying. From a hill near the head of the basin, I tookbearings of all the objects to the south and westward; amongst which, thefive following were the most important to the connexion of the survey.

The circle was completed in the afternoon, from a higher part of theisland near the north point; and the weather being tolerably clear,nearly the whole of the Northumberland Islands were comprehended in thebearings from one or the other station. Two distant pieces of land in theN. W. by N., marked _k_ and _k1_, situate near the eastern CumberlandIslands of captain Cook, were also distinguished; but to the north-east,where I expected to see a continuation of the reefs discovered by captainCampbell of the brig Deptford, in 1797, neither reef nor island wasvisible.

SATURDAY 2 OCTOBER 1802

On the 2nd of October, Mr. Brown accompanied me to No. 1, thesouthernmost of the Percy Isles, which is near five miles long, and thesecond of the group in magnitude. Fresh water was found in ponds near theshore, and there were clusters of pine trees; but in general, this islandis inferior to No. 2, both in soil and productions. Of the two peakedhills upon it, the south-easternmost is highest; but being craggy anddifficult to be ascended, my bearings were taken from the western hill.In returning to the ship in the evening, we passed between No. 6 and theeast side of No. 2, and round the north end of the latter island, inorder to see the form of its coasts: the water was deep, and thereappeared to be no hidden dangers.

SUNDAY 3 OCTOBER 1802

On the 3rd, Mr. Bauer, the natural-history painter, went with me to thenorthern Percy Isles, upon each of which is a hill somewhat peaked; butthat on No. 3 is much the most so, and the highest; and being thicklycovered with pine trees, is called _Pine Peak_: it lies in 21 deg. 311/2' southand 150 deg. 141/2' east. My principal object was to take angles for thesurvey; and not being able to ascend Pine Peak, from its great acclivity,we went onward to the two smaller islands No. 4; and from the top of theeasternmost, a third Cumberland Island, marked _k2_, was distinguished,and the following amongst many other bearings, were taken.

There is no shelter amongst the northern Percy Isles against east winds;but ships may pass between them, taking care to avoid a rock which liesone mile northward from the Pine Peak, and is dry at low water. Nothingwas seen on these islands to merit more particular notice; and theirforms and situations will be best learned from the chart.

On returning to the ship at nine in the evening, I found lieutenantFowler had quitted the shore with his tents and people, the holds werecompleted with water, and both vessels ready for sea.

No. 2, the largest of the Percy Isles, is about thirteen miles incircumference; and in its greatest elevation perhaps a thousand feet. Thestone is mostly of two kinds. A concreted mass of different substances,held together by a hard, dark-coloured cement, was the most abundant; Idid not see either coral or pumice-stone in the composition, but itotherwise much resembled that of Aken's Island in Shoal-water Bay, andstill more a stratum seen at the north-west part of Long Island: it wasfound at the tops of the highest hills, as well as in the lower parts.The second kind of stone is light, close-grained, and easily splits, butnot in layers; it is of a yellowish colour, and probably argillaceous.

The surface of the island is either sandy or stony, or both, with a smallproportion of vegetable soil intermixed. It is generally covered withgrass and wood; and some of the vallies round the basin might be made toproduce vegetables, especially one in which there was a small run, andseveral holes of fresh water. The principal wood is the _eucalyptus_, orgum tree, but it is not large; small cabbage palms grow in the gullies,and also a species of fig tree, which bears its fruit on the stem,instead of the ends of the branches; and pines are scattered in the mostrocky places.

No inhabitants were seen upon any of the islands, but there were desertedfire places upon all. The Indians probably come over from the main landat certain times, to take turtle, in which they must be much moredexterous than we were; for although many turtle were seen in the water,and we watched the beaches at night, not one was caught. There are nokangaroos upon the Percy Isles; nor did we see any useful birds. Thelarge bats or vampyres, common to this country, and called flying-foxesat Port Jackson, were often found hanging by the claws, with their headsdownward, under the shady tops of the palm trees; and one solitary eel ofa good size, was caught on clearing out the hole where our water caskshad been first intended to be filled.

Pines, fresh water, and fish will be some inducement to visit the PercyIsles; as perhaps may be the hump-backed whales, of which a considerablenumber was seen in the vicinity. The best and most convenient anchorage,and indeed the only one to be recommended, is that where the Investigatorlay, directly off the basin; in mid-channel between No. 2 and the westernpine islets. It is sheltered at fourteen points to the eastward, andthree towards the west; and there being a clear passage out, both to thenorth and south, no danger is to be apprehended: the bottom, however,does not hold very well.

A wet dock might be made of the basin without other trouble or expensethan a little deepening of the narrow entrance, and throwing a pair ofgates across; and were the mud to be cleared out, the basin would containfifteen or twenty sail of merchant ships with great ease.

The flood _tide_ came from the north and the ebb from the south, past theanchorage; but on the outside, they run south-west and north-east. It isnot extraordinary that the rise and fall by the shore did not exactlycoincide with the swinging of the ship; but that the time of high watershould differ three hours, and the rise twenty feet from Broad Sound, isremarkable. According to Mr. Fowler's observations in the basin, it washigh water there _eight hours after_ the moon's passage; and the rise atthe neaps and springs appeared to be from eight to twelve feet.

Three meridian observations to the north, taken by lieutenant Flinders,gave the _latitude_ of our anchorage, 21 deg. 39' 31" S.

_Longitude_, according to the position of Upper Head and the survey fromthence, 150 deg. 12' E.

_Variation_ of the needle, observed on the low south-west point of No. 2,8 deg. 28' E.

Three compasses on board the ship at anchor, gave 5 deg. 34' when the headwas east, or corrected to the meridian, 8 deg. 4' E.

Upon the different elevated places whence bearings were taken, thevariation differed from 7 deg. 30' to 9 deg. 30' east.

MONDAY 4 OCTOBER 1802

Early in the morning of the 4th, we got under way, with the Lady Nelsonin company, to proceed on our voyage to Torres' Strait and the Gulph ofCarpentaria. The wind was at E. by N., and we kept close up to weatherthe northern Percy Isles; for I had a desire to fall in with the reefslaid down by Mr. Campbell, three-quarters of a degree to the eastward, inlatitude 211/2 deg.; and to ascertain their termination to the north-westward.

[EAST COAST. BARRIER REEFS.]

The tide prevented us from weathering the islands till three in theafternoon; we then passed between No. 4 and some rocks lying two miles tothe north-east, with 33 fathoms water. During the night we tacked everytwo hours, working to the eastward, in from 30 to 36 fathoms; and atdaylight [TUESDAY 5 OCTOBER 1802], my station on the eastern isle No. 4bore N. 89 deg. W., four leagues. Nothing was seen in the offing, but instretching to the N. N. E, reefs were discovered from the mast head alittle before noon; and after the observation for the latitude was taken,I set one bearing East to E. by S., two leagues, and another N. 14 deg. W. to29 deg. E., four or five miles. Our situation was in 21 deg. 15 2/3' south, andlongitude from the bearing of the Pine Peak, 150 deg. 34' east.

These reefs were not exactly those seen by Mr. Campbell; but they areprobably not more than five or six leagues to the north-westward of them,and form part of the same _barrier_ to the coast. In standing on betweenthe two reefs above set, others, or parts of the same, came in sightahead; upon which I shortened sail to the three top sails, desired theLady Nelson to take the lead, and bore away north-westward along theinner side of the northern reef. In an hour we had passed its west end;but another reef came in sight, and for a time obliged us to steer W. byS. At four o'clock we ran northward again, following the direction of thereef on its lee side; and at six anchored in 27 fathoms, coarse sand, inthe following situation:

The reefs were not dry in any part, with the exception of some smallblack lumps, which at a distance resembled the round heads of negroes;the sea broke upon the edges, but within side the water was smooth, andof a light green colour. A further description of these dangers isunnecessary, since their forms and relative positions, so far as theycould be ascertained, will be best learned from the chart.

Until midnight, five hours after the moon had passed the meridian, a tidecame from S. by E., half a mile per hour. The ship then tended to the N.E. by E.; and this tide, whose rate was one mile, appearing to be theflood, led me to suppose there might be an open sea in that direction. Inthe morning [WEDNESDAY 6 OCTOBER 1802], I sent a boat to lieutenantMurray with instructions for his guidance in case of separation; andappointed him Murray's Islands in Torres' Strait, discovered by captainEdwards in 1791, for the first rendezvous; cautioning him to be strictlyon his guard against the treachery of the natives.

We weighed at seven o'clock, and steered N. N. E., close to the wind; atten, reefs came in sight, extending from W. by N., to N. by E. 1/2 E.,which we weathered one mile, having 35 fathoms water. Our situation atnoon was in latitude 20 deg. 45' 40", from observations to the north andsouth, and the longitude by time keeper 150 deg. 28'; the east end of thegreat reef to leeward bore S. W. 1/2 W. two miles, and it extended inpatches to N. 16 deg. W., where, at the distance of two leagues, was either adry white sand or high breakers but which could not be discerned from thereflection of the sun. Nothing was seen to the north-east, and we now layup in that direction; but at one o'clock there was a small reef bearingN. 1/2 E.; and at three, a larger one extended from N. by W. 1/2 W. to E. N.E., and on the outside of it were such high breakers, that nothing lessthan the unobstructed waves of the ocean could produce them. We stood onfor this reef, until four; and being then one mile off, tacked to thesouthward, having 33 fathoms, nearly the same depth as before.

The larbord tack was continued to six o'clock, at which time we anchoredin 32 fathoms, white sand, shells, and pieces of coral, having neitherreef nor danger of any kind in sight; but the smoothness of the waterleft no doubt of many lying to windward. From the high breakers seen inthe afternoon, however, hopes were entertained of soon clearing thereefs; for by this time I was weary of them, not only from the danger towhich the vessels were thereby exposed, but from fear of the contrarymonsoon setting in upon the North Coast, before we should get into theGulph of Carpentaria.

At this anchorage, the tide came from between S. W. by S. and W. by S.,till midnight; and at two in the morning [THURSDAY 7 OCTOBER 1802] theship rode north, and afterwards N. E. by E., to the flood; which seemedto imply two openings in the reefs, and one of them near the highbreakers. The depth of water changed from 35 to 32 fathoms, in the night;but a part of the difference might arise from irregularities in thebottom.

We got under way at daybreak, and stretched south-east to gain the wind;at nine, a reef was passed on each beam; and at noon, when we tacked tothe northward in 20 deg. 58' south and 150 deg. 48' east, there were five others,distant from two to five miles, bearing from S. 20 deg. W., round by the eastand north to N. 25 deg. W.; but apparently with passages between most ofthem. Upon these reefs were more of the dry, black lumps, called negroheads, than had been seen before; but they were so much alike as to be ofno use in distinguishing one reef from another; and at high water, nearlythe whole were covered.

In the afternoon, a very light wind at north-east left no prospect ofweathering the reef before dark, upon which the high breakers had beenseen; we therefore tacked to the E. S. E., and anchored at sunset in 84fathoms, fine white sand, not far from our noon's situation; a reef,partly dry, was then distant one mile and a half, and bore E. 1/2 S. to S.E. The flood tide here ran something more than one mile an hour, and camefrom between north and north-west, the ship tending to it at one in themorning.

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER 1802

At seven, when the flood had done running, the two vessels were lying upE. N. E., with a light breeze from the northward; but a rippling whichextended a mile from the reef, caused us to tack until a boat was sent tosound upon it; for the Lady Nelson was so leewardly, that much time waslost in waiting for her. At ten we passed through the rippling, in from14 to 34 fathoms; and at noon were in latitude 20 deg. 55', and longitude150 deg. 55' by time keeper. We seemed at this time to be surrounded withreefs; but it was ascertained by the whale boat, that many of theseappearances were caused by the shadows of clouds and the ripplings andeddies of tide, and that the true coral banks were those only which hadeither green water or negro heads upon them. Of these, however, there wasa formidable mass, all round ahead, with but one small channel throughthem; and this I was resolved to attempt, in the hope of its carrying usout to windward of the high breakers.

At two o'clock, the eastern reef, which was a mile distant to leeward andnearly dry, was seen to terminate, whilst the northern reefs extended outof sight to the north-east; the opening between them was a mile and ahalf wide, and full of ripplings; but having the whale boat ahead, webore away E. S. E., to go through the least agitated part. Having littlewind, and a flood tide making against us, the boat was called back totow, and the brig directed to take its station by means of her sweeps.Our soundings were irregular in the narrow part, between 24 and 9fathoms, on rocky ground; but after getting through, we had from 30 to32, the usual depth in the open places. At sunset, the stream anchor wasdropped on a bottom of coral sand and shells; the reefs then in sightextending from about E. S. E., round by the north to N. W., where was thegreat northern bank. Whether there were any passage through them, couldnot be discerned; but the breakers on many of the outer parts proved theopen sea to be not far distant, and that the waves ran high; whilstwithin side, the water was as tranquil as in harbour.

The ship rode north-west, till between eight and nine o'clock, when itappeared to be high water, and the depth was 35 fathoms; at 9h 34' themoon passed the meridian, and we were then riding S. by W., to a tidewhich ran at the strongest one and a quarter mile per hour. Between threeand four in the morning [SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER 1802] this tide had done, thedepth was 31 fathoms, and the ship afterwards rode N. N. E. tilldaylight. The first of the flood therefore came from the N. N. E. and thelatter part from N. W.; it was high water at _one hour before_ the moon'spassage, and the rise at least three fathoms, or eighteen feet. This timeof high water coincides with that of Broad Sound; but it is remarkable,that at the Percy Isles, lying between them, it should be three hoursearlier. The rise in Broad Sound was five fathoms, and three, or more,amongst the reefs; whereas at the Percy Isles, there was nothing on theshore to indicate a higher tide than two fathoms.

In the morning we steered E. N. E., with a light air from the southward;the brig was ahead, and at half past nine, made the signal for immediatedanger; upon which the stream anchor was dropped in 16 fathoms. The tideran one mile and a half to the E. N. E, and this leading me to expectsome opening in that direction, I sent the master to sound past the brig;and on his finding deeper water we followed, drifting with the tide. Ateleven he made the signal for being on a shoal, and we came to, in 35fathoms, broken coral and sand; being surrounded by reefs, except to thewestward from whence we had come. On the outside were high breakers, notmore than three or four miles distant; these terminated at E. by S., andbetween them and other reefs further on, there seemed a possibility offinding an outlet; but no access to it could be had, except by a windingcircuit amongst the great mass of banks to the southward, which it wasnot advisable to make upon such an uncertainty. I therefore determined toremain at the present anchorage till low water, when the reefs would bedry, and the channels between them, if any such there were, would bevisible: and should nothing better then present itself, to steernorth-westward, as close within the line of the high breakers aspossible, until an opening should be found.

The latitude observed to the north and south, at this fifth anchorageamongst the reefs, was 20 deg. 53' 15"; longitude by time keeper, 151 deg. 5'east. In the afternoon, I went upon the reef with a party of thegentlemen; and the water being very clear round the edges, a newcreation, as it was to us, but imitative of the old, was there presentedto our view. We had wheat sheaves, mushrooms, stags horns, cabbageleaves, and a variety of other forms, glowing under water with vividtints of every shade betwixt green, purple, brown, and white; equallingin beauty and excelling in grandeur the most favourite _parterre_ of thecurious florist. These were different species of coral and fungus,growing, as it were, out of the solid rock, and each had its peculiarform and shade of colouring; but whilst contemplating the richness of thescene, we could not long forget with what destruction it was pregnant.

Different corals in a dead state, concreted into a solid mass of adull-white colour, composed the stone of the reef. The negro heads werelumps which stood higher than the rest; and being generally dry, wereblackened by the weather; but even in these, the forms of the differentcorals, and some shells were distinguishable. The edges of the reef, butparticularly on the outside where the sea broke, were the highest parts;within, there were pools and holes containing live corals, sponges, andsea eggs and cucumbers;* and many enormous cockles (_chama gigas_) werescattered upon different parts of the reef. At low water, this cockleseems most commonly to lie half open; but frequently closes with muchnoise; and the water within the shells then spouts up in a stream, threeor four feet high: it was from this noise and the spouting of the water,that we discovered them, for in other respects they were scarcely to bedistinguished from the coral rock. A number of these cockles were takenon board the ship, and stewed in the coppers; but they were too rank tobe agreeable food, and were eaten by few. One of them weighed 471/2 lbs. astaken up, and contained 3lbs. 2 oz. of meat; but this size is muchinferior to what was found by captains Cook and Bligh, upon the reefs ofthe coast further northward, or to several in the British Museum; and Ihave since seen single shells more than four times the weight of theabove shells and fish taken together.

[* What we called sea cucumbers, from their shape, appears to have beenthe _beche de mer_, or _trepang_; of which the Chinese make a soup, muchesteemed in that country for its supposed invigorating qualities.]

There were various small channels amongst the reefs, some of which led tothe outer breakers, and through these the tide was rushing in when wereturned to the ship; but I could not any where see an openingsufficiently wide for the vessels. Low water took place at a quarter pastthree, which corresponded with the time of high water observed at thepreceding anchorage.

It was too late in the day to begin following the line of the highbreakers to the north-westward; but we lifted the anchor to removefurther from the eastern reef, which was dry within a mile of the ship.The wind was light at south-east; and in steering westward, with a boatsounding ahead, we got into one of the narrow streams of tide whichcarried us rapidly to the south-west; nor could the boat assist usacross, so much was it twisted about by the whirlpools. At six o'clock,being well clear of the stream, an anchor was dropped upon coral sand, in30 fathoms; at ten, when the ship swung to the ebb, the depth was 33fathoms, and 28 at low water; as, however, we had two-thirds of a cableout, some of the difference probably arose from the irregularity of thebottom.

SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER 1802

At daylight we steered N. N. W.; but reefs were presently seen all roundin that direction, and the course was altered for the small passagethrough which we had come on the 8th. Such, however, was the change inthe appearance of the reefs, that no passage could then be discovered;and fearing to be mistaken, I dared not venture through, but took a moresouthern channel, where before no passage had appeared to exist. At nineo'clock, having sandy ground in 32 fathoms, and it being very difficultto distinguish the shoals at high water, the anchor was dropped inlatitude 20 deg. 561/2' south and longitude 150 deg. 541/2' east. Between one and twoin the afternoon, we steered W. N. W. and N. W.; and meeting with a smalldry reef at four, hauled up northward, following the line of the greatnorthern reefs upon which the high breakers had been seen. At half pastfive we came to, in 26 fathoms sand and shells, having reefs from S. byE., round by the east and north, to W. by S.; but there were openings atN. N. W. 1/2 W. and N. E. by E., and we had the pleasure to see highbreakers, five or six miles distant in the latter direction. The latitudehere, from an observation of the moon, was 20 deg. 491/2', and longitude 150 deg.48' by time keeper.

MONDAY 11 OCTOBER 1802

Next morning, the brig and whale boat went ahead, and we steered north,after them; the eastern opening was choaked up with small reefs, and wehad scarcely entered that to the west when Mr. Murray made the signal fordanger, and hauled the wind to the southward. We did the same, round twoinner shoals; and finding the bottom irregular, and more shallow thanusual, dropped the stream anchor in 27 fathoms. The Lady Nelson wascarried rapidly to the south-west, seemingly without being sensible ofit, and I therefore made the signal of recall; but although favoured by afresh breeze, she did not get up against the tide till past nine o'clock.We rode a great strain on the stream cable, and the ship taking a suddensheer, it parted at the clinch and we lost the anchor; a bower wasimmediately let go; but the bottom being rocky, I feared to remain duringthe lee tide, and in a short time ordered it to be weighed. Mr. Murrayhad lost a kedge anchor, and was then riding by a bower; and when thesignal was made to weigh, he answered it by that of inability. The tidewas, indeed, running past the brig at a fearful rate, and I feared itwould pass over her bows; for she lay in one of the narrow streams whichcame gushing through the small openings in the outer reef. So soon as ouranchor was purchased, a boat's crew was sent to her assistance; and justbefore noon she got under sail.

We beat up till one o'clock, towards the anchorage of the precedingevening; but the reefs being deeply covered, they could not bedistinguished one from the other; and having found a good bottom, in 35fathoms, we came to, and made signal for the brig to do the same.Lieutenant Murray informed me that his anchor had come up with a palmbroken off; and having only one bower left, he applied to me for another.Our anchor had swiveled in the stock; and the work required to it, withgetting the last stream anchor out of the hold, and sending Mr. Murraytwo grapnels, which were all that our own losses could allow of beingspared, occupied us till the evening. At low water, two reefs were seen,bearing N. 18 deg.to 41 deg. E., a third S. 72 deg. E., and a fourth S. 74 deg. W.; theirdistances being from two to four or five miles.

The loss of anchors we had this day sustained, deterred me from any moreattempting the small passages through the Barrier Reef; in these, thetide runs with extraordinary violence, and the bottom is coral rock; andwhether with, or without wind, no situation can be more dangerous. Myanxious desire to get out to sea, and reach the North Coast before theunfavourable monsoon should set in, had led me to persevere amongst theseintricate passages beyond what prudence could approve; for had the windcome to blow strong, no anchors, in such deep water and upon loose sand,could have held the ship; a rocky bottom cut the cables; and to have beenunder sail in the night was certain destruction. I therefore formed thedetermination, in our future search for a passage out, to avoid allnarrow channels, and run along, within side the larger reefs, until agood and safe opening should present itself. This plan, which wasdictated by a common regard to safety, might carry us far to thenorth-west, and delay our arrival in the Gulph of Carpentaria; yet Ihoped not; for captain Cook had found the flood tide to come fromsouth-east after passing the Cumberland Islands, whereas before, it ranfrom the northward; a circumstance which seemed to indicate a terminationof the reefs, or a great opening in them., to the north or north-west ofthose islands.

TUESDAY 12 OCTOBER 1802

In the morning., we got under way and steered N. N. W.; but anchoredagain on finding the flood tide too strong to be stemmed with a lightbreeze. Our latitude at this tenth anchorage amongst the reefs, was 20 deg.53' 10", from observations to the north and south, and longitude by timekeeper 150 deg. 42' east. At one o'clock our course was resumed, andcontinued till sunset in clear water; when we came to, in 32 fathoms sandand shells, not far to the south of where the first high breakers hadbeen seen, in the afternoon of the 6th. A dry reef bore N.1/2 E., distanttwo and a half, and another E. 1/2 S. one-and-half miles; and from the masthead others were seen at the back of them, extending from N. W. by N. tonear S. E. by E.

WEDNESDAY 13 OCTOBER 1802

On going upon deck next morning at daybreak, to get the ship under way, Ifound her situation different to that wherein we had anchored in theevening. The wind had been light, and as usual in such cases, the cablewas shortened in; and it appeared from the bearings, and from thesoundings marked every hour on the log board, that between four and fivein the morning, the anchor had been lifted by the tide, or dragged, twomiles north-east amongst the reefs, from 33 into 28 fathoms; where it hadagain caught. This change of place had not been perceived; and it wasdifficult, from the circumstance having occurred at the relief of thewatch, to discover with whom the culpable inattention lay; but it mighthave been attended with fatal consequences.

Having weighed the anchor, we steered westward with the brig and whaleboat ahead, until past ten; when the eastern breeze died away and thestream anchor was dropped in 30 fathoms, fine white sand. The reefs werethen covered. and a dry bank, bearing N. W. by W. five or six miles, wasthe sole object above water; and towards noon it was covered also.Between this bank and the great reef and breakers, was a space whichseemed to be open; but it was not sufficiently large, nor did the tiderun with that regularity and strength, to induce a belief that, if therewere a passage, it could be such as I desired for the vessels. Wetherefore again steered westward, on a breeze rising at N. W., untilreefs were seen extending southward from the dry bank, and we bore awayalong their eastern side. At sunset, the anchor was dropped in 36fathoms, near to our situation on the 6th at noon; the dry reefs bearingfrom S. 20 deg. to N. 21 deg. W., distant from one to three miles.

THURSDAY 14 OCTOBER 1802

At daylight the breeze was still from the north-westward, and our coursewas pursued to the south and south-west, close round the inner end of thereefs, till they trended west and we could no longer keep in with them.The Pine Peak of the northern Percy Isles, and several of the CumberlandIslands were then in sight; and at noon our situation and bearings wereas under.